From One Genius to Another
by jaimeekate
Summary: Ralph comes home from school one day with an important question for Walter, but it is one of the few questions that Walter doesn't have an answer to. I wanted to start with things on the lighter side, so while this is a Waige story, it's not very heated. It's intended to be realistic and hopefully heartwarming :)


Walter had spent the afternoon buried in thought. He wanted to develop software for the garage that could link all their computers together for easy sharing of data and storing of information. The task itself was not difficult, but rather time consuming as he knew that the slightest flaw in the software could result in valuable data being erased, or at least unobtainable in times of crisis. Just as he was tightening up the last stages of the program, his focus was disrupted by the sound of soft footsteps climbing up the stairs. Walter quickly calculated that based on the low decibel of sound from the footsteps that whoever was walking up the stairs was small, about 67.28 pounds. Ralph.

"Hi Walter," said Ralph when he reached the landing. Walter looked up from his laptop as Ralph made his way over to the table.

"Hey Ralph, how's it going? Was school bearable today?"

"I wasn't really focused on school today." Ralph sighed and let his backpack slide off his shoulder. Walter examined the young boy with curiosity. While Ralph enjoyed Walter's company very much, this was the first time that Ralph sought Walter out alone. What was more, there seemed to be something troubling him. Walter closed his laptop, indicating to Ralph that he had his full attention.

"Why was that? What were you focused on?"

"The number of hair follicles the average human has on their head."

"I believe it is anywhere from 90,000 to 140,000, depending on genetic makeup. Can I ask why you spent all day wondering about this?" Walter focused very hard on Ralph's facial features, hoping to catch a glimpse of a smile. Ralph looked at the ground, frowning even more.

"Can I ask you a question, Walter?"

"Of course, ask me anything." Walter straightened up in his seat, ready for whatever the child was most curious about.

"How do you…" Ralph started, but the words faded away.

"Can a person…" He tried again, but this sentence was apparently no easier than the first. Walter stared blankly at Ralph, waiting for his question to surface. Finally, with a deep sigh, Ralph found the words he'd been keeping bottled up.

"There's a girl in my class and she's very pretty and I really want to talk to her but I don't know what to say. What do I say to a girl to make her talk to me?"

Walter's expression went to immediate shock. He shook his head to rid himself of the surprise and tried to regain his composure.

"Well…um…" He mumbled. But of all the questions the young genius could have asked, this was one the Walter did not know the answer to.

"I think you'd be better off asking Toby about this. He's a bit more experienced I think." Said Walter when he could think of no other response.

"No, I don't think I want Toby's help. I want yours. You talk to my mom, and she is very pretty. I think she likes what you say because she smiles a lot more. What do you say?" Asked Ralph. But honestly Walter could not think of anything specific that he had said to Paige that was out of the realm of normal conversation. Walter racked his brain for anything that he had done to advance his relationship with Paige. Frustrated though he was, he wanted to help Ralph.

"Well, talking to your mom is easy. She's very nice and she is ok with the fact that we are not like other people. There aren't too many people out there who would be able to put up with us geniuses. And we don't really like to put up with most people. Your mom is special." Walter attempted to answer the question that he himself was struggling with.

"But how do I talk to the girl in my class? Is she special too? She has really pretty blonde hair and I wish I could touch it, but I can't so I count it instead. I want to tell her that she has pretty hair." Ralph was frustrated too and Walter wanted so badly to solve the boy's problem.

"Then you should tell her that. Girls like it when you compliment them on things. If this girl is special to you, you need to tell her. Otherwise, she might leave or find someone else and then you will never get to tell her that you her hair. Who knows, she might tell you that you are special to her too. It's hard sometimes, but geniuses aren't afraid when things get difficult. That's when they perform the best."

"So…I just tell her that I think her hair looks nice? But what do I say after that?" Ralph begged for more information.

"I think it depends on what she says. If she thanks you and seems genuinely flattered, you can move on to the next stage."

"Next stage?" Ralph cocked his head in curiosity.

"Chocolates and flowers I think." Walter hoped his answer would suffice for now.

"Have you given my mom and chocolates or flowers?" Ralph asked. The innocent question made Walter's cheeks go bright pink. He stiffened in his chair.

"Well, no…"

"You _do _think she's pretty, don't you?"

"Of course I do!" Instantly, in a wave of frustration, Walter lost his ability to hold back thoughts.

"I think she's beautiful. The most beautiful woman I have ever seen. But I'm like you, Ralph. I don't know how to tell her that."

"Maybe you should take your own advice. Just tell her. And then bring her chocolates and flowers." Said Ralph. Walter managed a small laugh.

"Ya, I guess I could use my own advice here. But your mom is different. She makes me feel things I don't understand." Walter paused and reached for his wallet.

"Here," he said as he handed Ralph a twenty, "why don't go across the street and get some chocolate and flowers for that girl in your class?"

"Are you going to get some for my mom?" Ralph asked, taking the money.

"Maybe someday. Here, I'll tack on another ten if you promise not to tell your mom what I said."

It was getting late now and Walter still sat upstairs over his computer. He had thought nonstop about his conversation with Ralph. He was angry that he could not give Ralph a proper answer. But unlike math or science, there was no quick answer for love. Walter ran his hands through his hair and sighed. If he was going to finish his software, he would need some coffee. He walked downstairs and headed for the coffee machine. There were flowers and a box of chocolates on the table. Walter shook his head at the gifts that Ralph had bought. If only he could be of more help.

"Oh hi, I was wondering when you were ever going to come out of hibernation." Said Paige with a smile as she walked into the kitchen.

"Hibernation? Hardly. I've been doing very important work with new software for the garage. Why are you still here? I thought you'd have gone home by now."

"Ralph wanted to finish his homework here so he could use the telescope before we went home. Oh, what are these?" Paige ran her fingers over the petals of a rose in the bouquet. She picked up the card to read it. As she read, her eyes got very big. She looked up from the card to Walter. Walter stood in confusion as Paige watched him.

"Walter…they're beautiful!" She said as she threw her arms around him. He awkwardly tapped her back as she hugged him. The card lay open on the counter, and Walter's eyes grew big in shock as he read the words scribbled across it.

_Paige, _

_ Thank you for everything. You're very pretty and this Cyclone would not be complete without you. _

_ - Walter _


End file.
